Like I said, I am just nitpicking. I know a few cases where some people think they had something (and actually had/have something), but people did not take them seriously or they did not fit the textbook example so they were told nothing was wrong with them even though they knew something was off, and that is an extremely frustrating and devastating situation to be in.

It's okay to be anti-education. I have a bit of an obsession with education even when I'm not in classes. I.E.- I'm about to start reading Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. It's probably unhealthy, really... :/

I guess this was the only point I was trying to get across:

Like I said previously, I was wrong to be all "I'm right and you're wrong".... I really am not one to do this very often at all. However, I knew that misinformation was being put out there and multiple google searches was not bringing up the correct DSM-IV classification (my psych teacher had it and that's what we used when talking about mental disorder classifications). I understand that the DSM needs to be updated, as they still call quite a few mental disorders different names than they are now, but the names are really all that have changed.

I can see someone in a manic state (suffering from bipolar alone) going: "I feel unstoppable! I FEEL LIKE JESUS!!!", but they won't go "Hello, I am Jesus. It's nice to meet you," and seriously believe that they are Jesus. A Schizophrenic patient would do this. You really have to include the other mental illness or you're not understanding how mental illnesses work.

Rant: I really don't want to go to school today. My mom called me this morning about her and her boyfriend arguing...again....it was a wonderful way to start the morning (sarcasm).

Sorry I didn't realize my comment would stir up things but I respectfully disagree with you, Hadoken... We will end it at that

I can say as a person who has taken and passed multiple Psychology courses in college and in high school. Has taken classes in mental health of varied degrees, has a schizophrenic uncle who just told my sister in law he was the devil and has a bi-polar brother not to mention various diagnostics to my own health that all of you have something right about it. This is based on what I have seen in my own family of patients I have taken care of.

Schizoprenia:obessive thoughts or behaviors including random clapping, seeing people who aren't there and believing they are supernatural beings, believing they are Jesus or the Devil. A couple of stories to illustrate this would be my uncle who just a couple of days ago walked around with a horrid expression on his face saying, "I am the devil" in a low gravely voice" and he had to be forced out of that episode. He never remembered he did it. and he also won't put a tv in his room because he has paranoia saying the government is watching him through the television.

Bi-polar: A person with rapidly rising and falling feelings and emotions, irrational or erractic behaviors sometimes with no trigger and manic episodes. Can become violent.

manic episodes or panic attacks: pretty similar but manic episodes tend to get violent on occasions. This can involve screaming, hitting yourself, hitting others ect... While panic attacks are more of an overwhelming fear that something bad is going to happen. Both can cause fainting or hyperventalation.

An important thing to remember is that each of these diagnosis' can be alone or accompany one another so for example someone with depression can also be bi-polar and have Generalized anxiety disorder. The same is true of the more severe mental disorders. Some schizophrenics can have depression or bi-polar as well. It's all entwined in some cases. Such as mine. I got put on a second pill I am having trouble adjusting to because I have dysthymia, Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder and major depression (which is under contol), and schizoid personality sometimes they are so hard to tell a part that it gets confusing so it's okay to agree to disagree on such a subject.

My rant-My pill is making me shake and I can't concentrate on my papers that are due tonight.
anti-rant! I got a ferret.

I was in the same situation. At the time, my (now ex) husband called me "drama queen" b/c I panicked in crowds, car trips, etc. People think we're making up our symptoms to get attention.

^^THIS is what tears me apart. Your closest loved ones, at the least, if they do not understand, should acknowledge they don't know what you are going through. And give you the benefit of the doubt, because they should have your back, no matter what their beliefs are...